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Sunday, October 20, 2013

One of the major
challenges to French cooking I have found here in America is the fact that
dairy products that are unpasteurized are not allowed. I grew up on unpasteurized milk, cream and
all sorts of “not allowed by the FDA” products, like so many other millions of
people around the world and have never had a problem. Raw dairy builds the immune system up like
crazy, making for strong bones and a general healthy outlook.

So here are the best dairy products I could
come up with so far, if you want to cook like a true French person (as much as
we can on this side of the world):

From left to
right:

“Natural
by Nature” pasteurized heavy cream.
Unlike most cream, this one IS NOT ultra-pasteurized, which means it is
boiled only once, and not at very high temperature, which makes for a much more
stable and thicker product.

True
whole milk en bouteille de verre, also
by “Natural by Nature”, which is sold at Whole Foods Market. It is so thick that you can collect up to 2
tablespoons of cream at the top of the bottle when you open it.

An excellent option for butters are the French ones from Poitou, a region
suited to the rearing of goats. All the
dairy from this part of France is extra rich and creamy.This “Sèvre Belle” is slightly salted.Ideal for the baguette and petit noir of the
morning.

Whenever I can, I buy a 1-pound roll of salted and unsalted butter at my
local Farmers Market.The one underneath
the French butter comes from an Amish farm in Wisconsin from grass-fed
cows.You can actually taste the
difference.

For a bit more flavor, especially for ice-cream or a creamy
dessert, nothing beats goat’s milk (see the cream leftover inside the bottle).Also available at Whole Foods.

The Vermont Creamery makes an excellent crème fraîche, one of the
staples of French cooking. Their cheeses
are also quite imaginative and creamy.

A very good recipe to use two of the products above is a
panna-cotta. I suggest using the goat’s
milk for the vanilla portion and the whole cow’s milk for the chocolate one. It can be done with one or both flavours, and
although it may seem lengthy to prepare, the majority of time required is for
refrigeration. The dessert can be made
up to two days ahead and will keep for another two in the fridge. It is an ideal end for a rather light dinner,
of fish for example, as it tends to be filling.
The measurements are good for 4 servings.

La panna-cotta au chocolat, vainille
e crème de violette:

Ingredients for the vainille et crème de
violette panna-cotta:

3 Tbsp. cold water

2 ¼ tsp. unflavoured gelatin

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup half and half (combine half cup of cream and half of milk from
“Natural by Nature” brand)

½ cup sugar

3 Tbsp. crème de violette liqueur

¼Tahitian vanilla bean, scraped

Pinch of salt

Ingredients
for the chocolate panna-cotta:

1 ¾ cups heavy whipping cream

1 ¼ tsp. unflavoured gelatin

2 Tbsp. sugar

Pinch of salt

2 ounces finely chopped quality dark chocolate, 70% cacao

For
the whipped cream topping:

¾ heavy whipping cream

2 Tbsp crème de violette liqueur

A drop or two of violet food colouring

Small pieces of chocolate for decorating

Preparationfor the
vainille et crème de violette panna-cotta:

Pour the cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle with the gelatin.

In a medium saucepan, heat the
cream, half and half, sugar, lavender and salt over medium heat until the sugar
has completely dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the
heat and pour the mixture through a fine strainer and into a measuring cup with
a spout. Stir in the crème de violette
and the vanilla seeds, followed by the gelatin mixture, stirring until the
gelatin has completely dissolved.

Divide among 4 individual
serving glasses and bring to room temperature, then place on a flat surface in
the fridge and refrigerate overnight.Preparation
for the chocolate panna-cotta:

Once the vanilla layer has been set, it’s time to make the chocolate
one.

Pour ¼ cup of the whipping
cream into a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let sit for 10 minutes. Place the bowl into a larger one with hot
water and stir mixture until the gelatin has completely dissolved.

In a medium saucepan over
medium heat, bring the remaining cream, sugar and salt just to a boil and
remove promptly from the heat. Whisk the
chocolate until completely incorporated and smooth.

Add the gelatin mixture until
well combined, pour it through a fine strainer and into a measuring cup with a
spout. Let sit until it reaches room temperature,
stirring occasionally.

Divide among the chilled
vanilla-crème de violette panna-cotta layered glasses, cover with plastic wrap
and let chill in the refrigerator overnight.To
prepare the whipped cream topping:

Make this 2 hours before serving. Add the crème de violette liqueur to the
cream, stir and let sit in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 1 hour – the
longer it sits, the better the flavor.

Chill a mixing bowl and the
metal whisk/s to be used to beat the cream for 15 minutes prior to mixing. Add the cream with a drop or two of colouring
and beat until it forms a soft peak.

Top each dessert with a
dollop of cream and a piece or two of dark chocolate.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

I have bought
pastries at My French Café ever
since my good friend David Moore recommended it on his group Wine Lovers & Adventurers. They are, without doubt, one of
the best options for French patisseries in Central Florida. Owners Avy and Morgane Bendavid open their
venture last fall, but they never imagined the success they’re enjoying.

This past
weekend I decided to eat in and tried their “Little France” crêpe – typical
ham, cheese and béchamel. It was tasty
and very filling; however, I was disappointed.
It was an American crêpe, not a French one, made too thick and served
with a salad. In France, the batter
would have been cooked into an extra thin crêpe, and the filling would have
been enough but not overpowering like this one was.

The
macaroons however, are spectacular. Two
round, fluffy meringue sides, about 2” in diameter. There is a pistachio-blackcurrant version
with raspberries, crème chantilly and a solid chocolate ganache center. All the macaroons come with a vial of sauce –
in this case blackcurrant – to be dispensed over the top or even inside of the
macaroon, to counter-balance the sweetness.
If there ever was a perfect balance of flavours, this macaroon
exemplifies it beautifully.

My French Café is the only place in Orlando so far where I could
find the classic French Opera cake. Rich
and with the typical accented taste of coffee, it pairs wonderfully with a
strong espresso or a glass of brandy.

The
Mille-feuille is a cake best eaten just an hour or two after it is made. My
French Cafécan make it by
special order in big size to impress your guests after an elegant dinner.

There
is also the Paris Brest, a dessert created in honor of the cycle race that it
is named after. It consists of a wheel-shaped
pate choux pastry filled with almond cream and topped with slivered
almonds. Especially fulfilling at tea
time.

They also do
catering and can make your favorite cake in larger sizes. Just imagine the ohs and ahs
from your friends when it’s time for dessert!

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About Me

I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and lived there during the first twenty years of my life. I've been living in the Sunshine State for over twenty years now, most recently in Orlando - the city of Disney.
I'm a Political Scientist and have traveled extensively as the true Saggitarian that I am. I love to experience new cultures through food and customs. In this blog, I aim to invite you to slow down and enjoy the pleasures of life in order to become the perfect, non-desperate hostess - mainly good food, wine, travel, great literature and entertainment with the people that matter to us. This is a blog about debauchery, so if you are not interested in self-indulgence, you might have to look elsewhere.
As far as my personal interests go, I have a sponge-like mind and absorb as much from the world around me as I can. I am mostly interested in everything French, the country's history, cuisine and traditions.
This blog is about dreams, projects and passions. Mine just as much as yours. I review products and places, and test recipes. I invite you to peruse and indulge...